Joshua Adam Risner 1975-
Risner is a distinguished portrait painter and fine artist with a compelling artistic journey. Raised in rural central Ohio, Risner initially established a successful career in commercial art, gaining diverse experience as a sign painter, graphic designer, creative director, and business owner. At thirty, he transitioned to fine art, earning a BFA in painting with an art history minor from Ashland University. His pursuit of artistic excellence led him to Michigan, where he received a full tuition fellowship and an MFA from Kendall College of Art and Design.
Widely recognized for his evocative oil paintings and drawings, Risner is particularly celebrated for his portraiture. His talent is evident in the six portraits on permanent display at the Michigan State Capitol, including the monumental portrayal of Governor Rick Snyder. His work extends to the national stage with a portrait of Senator Debbie Stabenow hanging in the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington D.C. Currently, Risner serves as the Artist in Residence at the Michigan State Capitol, further solidifying his significant contribution to the art world.
Henri Thiérot 1863-1905
Henri Marie J. Thiérot was a French Symbolist painter celebrated for his versatility across history painting, portraits, genre scenes, and landscapes.
Born in Reims, France, Thiérot was the son of François Édouard Thiérot, an architect known for his work on the Reims Cathedral. He pursued his artistic education at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, where he studied under the guidance of notable masters including Henri-Léopold Lévy, Jules Lefebvre, and Alfred Bramtot.
Thiérot's career included travels through Holland and Belgium and frequent exhibitions at the Salon des Artistes Français. His talent garnered significant recognition:
1895: Received a commendation.
1899: Awarded a bronze medal.
1900: Awarded bronze medal at the Exposition Universelle.
1901: Won a silver medal.
He also exhibited internationally, notably at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in both 1901 and 1904.
Thiérot died from an illness in 1905 in Saint-Thierry, France, having never married or had children. His works are preserved and displayed in prominent collections, including the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Reims and the Neue Pinakothek in Munich, Germany.
https://www.rabbithillartstudio.com/blart/xd4m83nrc5yagey9nstj6njxgndkxq-eezmt#:~:text=Henri%20Thierot%20was%20a%20French,both%20French%20Naturalism%20and%20Symbolism.
Francis Sydney Muschamp 1851 - 1929
Born in Hull, Yorkshire, in 1851, Francis Sydney Muschamp was a British artist renowned for his captivating imagined domestic scenes featuring figures dressed in period costume. He also practiced landscape painting and portraiture. Moving to London early in life, he was likely instructed by his father, landscape painter Francis Muschamp Senior. Muschamp's body of work showcases his skill as an accomplished figure painter, characterized by beautifully rendered interiors, elegant, sweeping dresses, and maidens involved in literary and historical narratives, often touching upon themes of Arthurian romance.
Muschamp’s style bridged two distinct approaches: he was subtly influenced by the Aesthetic Movement but always maintained a strong traditional Victorian narrative. This balance made his paintings highly desirable and popular, especially among middle-class buyers during the peak of his career. He was significantly motivated by a love for the past and the burgeoning Neo-Classical movement of the nineteenth century. He painted with a vision similar to leading figures like Lord Leighton and Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, concentrating on themes from Shakespeare, Classical mythology, and the Baroque era. This focus is evident in his exhibited titles, which included The Merchant of Venice, Juliet and her Nurse, and Ivanhoe.
Throughout his career, Muschamp was a frequent exhibitor, showing his work between 1870 and 1903 at numerous major venues. He debuted at the Royal Society of British Artists (RBA) in 1870, later becoming an elected member in 1893, and also debuted at the Royal Academy (RA) in 1884. His exhibition record also includes the Dudley Gallery, the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool, and the Royal Hibernian Academy. He lived for a period in St Pancras and later Hampstead, London, and died in Earls Court Square, London, in 1929. Today, his paintings are held in public collections, including the Lancaster City Museum, the National Trust at Stourhead, and the Scarborough Art Gallery.